Journal box



July 21, 1953 E. F. WIDEMAN JGURNAL BOX Filed 001;.25; 1951 Fig/' E well F Wide/nan INVENTOR.

Patented July 21, 1953 I UN TED STA PATENT Fri v JOURNAL Box-1 Ewell F. Wideman, Wetumpka, Ala. Application October 25, 1951, Serial No. 253,089

I This invention relates to new and useful improvements and structural refinements in journal boxes on trucks of railroad vehicles, and the principal object of the invention is to prevent overheating of the journal from lack of lubrication.

This object is achieved by the provision of a.

lubricant reservoir having a duct connected-with the interior of the journal box, the duct being provided with a fusible closure which normally sustains the lubricant in the reservoir, but which,

upon fusing in the presence of an overheated journal, permits the lubricant in the reservoir to refill the empty journal box.

In addition, the invention contemplates the provision of means for visually indicating the level of lubricant in the reservoir, so that it can be refilled as often as necessary.

With the above more important objects and features in view, and such other objects'and features as may become apparent as this specification proceeds/the invention consists essentially of the arrangement andconstruction of parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: g

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a journal box with the invention applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a sectional view, taken substantial: ly in the plane of the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken a substantially in the plane of the line 4-4 of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a resilient keeper element used in the invention.

Like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts in the specification and through the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the general reference character In designates a conventional journal box supported by I a railroad truck frame l2 andprovidinga bearing for a journal I l.

The invention contemplates the provision of a lubricant reservoir 16 having a hinged cover 18 to facilitate convenient refilling, the reservoir [6.

being secured to the truck frame l2 by a suitable strap 28. In addition,the reservoir is attached to the journal box ID by means of ahollow conne'ctor member 22 which extends through registering apertures 24, 26 provided inthe journal box and reservoir, respectively, as is best shown in Figure 4. A tubular spacer sleeve 28 is positioned on the connector member 22 between the journal box and the reservoir, and the member 3 Claims. (01. 308-79) 22 is provided at one end thereof with an enlarged head 30 which abuts the inner surface of the reservoir, while the-other end portion of the connector member is externally screw threaded as at 32 to receive a nut 34 which abuts the inner surface of the journal box.

The connector member 22 is hollow and affords a duct or passage 3!; connecting the interior of the reservoir with the interior of the journal box, and the journal box end of the passage 36 is nor- ;mally closed by a fusible plug 38, which retains I the lubricant in the reservoir. The plug 38 is sustained in posiion by a resilient finger All of a keeper element 42 which also has two other resil- 'ient fingers 44 seated in grooves (not shown) provided in the opposite faces of the aforementioned nut 34.

In the presence of an overheated journal from lack of lubricant in the journal box, the plug 38 will melt and the lubricant in the reservoir [6 will automatically discharge into the journal box before theoverheated journal can sustain any excessive, damage.

The front wall of the reservoir 5 may be provided with a suitable sight glass 46 so that the level of lubricant in the reservoir may be readily observed, and in addition, a float 48, mounted upon an angulated arm 50 may be provided, the

arm 50 extending outwardly from the reservoir and carrying a signal flag 52, which will automatically assume a raised position to visually indicate the need for refilling the reservoir with a lubricant.

It is believed that the advantages and use of the invention will be readily understood from the foregoing disclosure and accordingly, further description thereof at this point is deemed'unnecessary.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction and arface of the reservoir side wall, a spacer sleeve positioned on said member between said box and the reservoir, a nut on said member in abutment with the inner surface of the box side Wall, said member affording a duct connecting the interior of said box with the reservoir, and a fusible clusure plug provided at the end of said duct in said box.

2. The device as defined in claim 1 together with a resilient'keeper element carried by said nut and engaging said-plug to sustain the same in said duct.

3. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein said nut has opposite side edges thereof pro iNumber vided witha pair of grooves, and a resilient 1 keeper element removably positioned on said nut, said keeper element including a pair of spaced fingers seated in said grooves and a third finger engaging said plug for sustaining the same in said duct.

EWELL F.

References Cited inthe jfile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 415,910 Hardwicke Nov. 26, 1889 

